Spring bumper



Patented Feb. 8,k

sie

i WrLLrAM nal-rn, or NEWT-own; cmo.

sranve BUMPER.'

`Application filedl January 9,1925. No.V 1,462.V f *i My invention relates to bumpers forauto` mobiles andv the like, in which an impact bar l' is supported on leafgsprings from the frame of the vehicle. M

Bumpers of the lsamegeneral type as provided by me arek diiiicult to bring up to standard because the requirements for av springs in plural numbers, but so providing that the springs have no particular 'lines Vof Weakness due to improper attachment, *ivm-y proper curves, or improper locationwith re- -spect lto the vehicle tobe protected. Y It `is yfurtherr my object-t0 provide a bumperv which will minimize ,thelgpossibility of damage to a car because of collision with. another in whichv the impact bar fof the bumper is attached at alower level than my bumper and so passes underit.y This is provided. in the constructionhereinafter described by extending the springs Well forwardk in a curve With a vertical axis to resist an impact and providing an unusual depth of abutment surface. `Among other things my invention includes amounting for the impact bar which does notinterfere vwith Ythe free action of the springs andv which is strong and attractive vin appearance, but can be removedandfreplaced without particular mechanical skillor tools.' The;v

attachment ofl theimpact bar is notaccomvrplished bycompressing the 'spring support {theone end fof the leaves jleft vto slide onr eachother..l The proper degreeofgresilience;

about theV bar, thereby* giving itimproper..l b

\ in downwardly curvedY channel bars 1,'pto which a spring2v for the vehicle is attached tension.

'In this connection itv should be noted that the great defect in bumpersof theimpact bar and spring type,'is that the springs are f. too brittle or toofheavy, and the bar itself rattles. I avoid the former defect by the.

arrangement of multiple leaf; springs,rwith cank beimpartedto the leaves withoutfex- `posing them to breaking because yoflightg ness. of their bodies. ,As ,tol the impact bar,

' by avoiding a mere clamping of therbarfto the leaf spring, and using-a clamp or eyelet"` which has-a cam-like projection on its inner periphery,` am-enabled to engagethe bar,

so tightly, Without any effect onnthesprings,

of a vehicle.

that the rattling is entirely done awaywith. Y

InV the mounting of theV springs on the vehicle, I provide `a devicewhich avoids the necessity of'laying the leaves lat'against the top ofthe frame channel, thereby cutting f maar? '.down'the,4 permissible [radius of the curve .Y

to the `springsf My device holds the ends Y of the springs ina vertical position, and is also"adjustable about theV spring shackle bolt asapivot, to 'provide' for a preferential adjustment of the bar.

' vMy Vsprings form together with thedevice I foratta'ching'the impact bara true S-curve, with the generalaxial lines of the curves substantially.- vertical, which Vgives 'y long range lof movementto the impact bar, with ,Y

the springs bendingal'l along theiry length. By attaching the clamps for the impact bar to' the longer of `the multiple leaves of Imyspring, I. obtain 'great resilience at thev .start ofgmotion ofthe bar, butfon any severe blow the'other leaves come into action. lny

my preferred form provide for a full ten 'inchesof movement ofthe impact bar.`

spring elements and attachment parts. y Figure 3 is a perspective ofthe mounting clip. f

g5 y p spective vview of the'` bumper, 'as installed. 1 f Figure 2 4is a side elevation ofY one of :the

.Figure 4 isa .plan view of the spring.;v

mounting deviceassembled with the frame The usual motor vehicle frame terminates by'a shackle bolt 3..

" vMy bumperdevice comprises animpact bar 4, which can be of any desired conformation. IA' pair of mountinggclamps 5 are pro-f vided, which are-'bent around the impactl.

ing springs, as bythe bolts 8.. i

lug 5@ 1s formed on the inner faceof the clamps', which lwill engage the bar when` vthe clamps are mountedjand jam it tightly .-in place. The spring leaves .are slotted to receive-the bolts' 8, so as to give the individual leaves sufficient freedom of play. Y Thesprmgsjare .formed 1n the lnstan-ce bankandv have' twoends 6V and`7which are Y bolted or -riveted to the ends v'of themount-y llO through the clip,

illustrated, whichis the preferred form, of three leaves 9, 10 and 11. The three leaves areV formed with a substantially vertical stand 12, a deep curve 13, an upright stand having a curve to form the middle of the S, as at 14, and a downwardly ext-ending por*- tion iinishing off the Sshaped curve, with j the inner leaf 11 terminated below the top tachment and adjusting arm 16, The portion 15 has holes therein vas at 17 for reception of the shackle bolt 3. The arm 16 has an arcuate slot 18 therein, through which passes a hook bolt, having 'a hook 20 for engagement around the lower chalinel wall Vof thervehicle frame piece, and a threaded nut 21, for engaging the outer vface of the arm about the said arcuate slot.V

Y By this mountingv device, the Amounting clip can be swung through a limited arc, and fastened tightly in a desired position.

To secure'th'e leaf springs to the mounting clip- I to bear on the outer face of the verticalstand portion 12 ofthe spring assembly. A U-.bolt

is arranged vwith its crossvpieoe 23 inside 0f the mounting clip and its ends 24 projecting through fholes 25 in the face of the `.UV-shaped portion 15. Theends pass through lthe plate 22 and-nuts 26, turned Vdown on the ends 24, clamp'the spring firmly against the face'of the mounting clip. K

I show an additional hole 27 in the yface of the clip, and the springs are pierced with a hole for reception vof a bolt 28 passed with its nut 29 lturned down against vthefaceof the vertical stand of the leaf springs.v This boltdoes not take tlie'strain of the impact bar, when actuated, but serves to prevent the vertical stand from tilting about, :if the clamping plate 22 becomes too loose'.

It can lbe 1 readily observed that thel action of the springs under ablow imparted to the impact bar, will be lto bend at all lof the curves, which are regular vin their nature, so as to take up the movement-without any particular portion vof the strain Ybe-ing ap? plied to a particular portion'of the spring,

the resistance ofthe springs being progr-eef sivelyv stronger* the greater Vthe length `of movement of the bar. any spring attachment, which'must have a lever laction, is that -a strain which =is approvide a plate 22, .whichis arrangedk Icomprising devices .against which the springs .are clamped.

' springs are attached.

The difficulty with Y plied at a particuler line acrossthe springs,

vwill break them at this line.

ment, without placing too great a strain at the fulcrum'point which 'is the line of engagement of the clamp plate 22. 1

TheV impact bar, the springs, and the` mounting pieces can be replaced without mechanical difculty. v The relative position of the impact bar to the vehicle can be adjusted and the springs do not tend to be forced under the vehicle, since the axial lines of the several curves are vertical, and

lthe imp-act bar will tend to move back toL yward the vehicle in :a substantially horizontal plane. t

Having thus described my invention, what lclai'in as new land. vdesire tori-secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A bumper device foi' vehicles, comprissprings, each rformed ofrprlural leaves, said springs -rhaving a curved formation terminating above their point of attachment, means for securing theV impact bar `detachably :to

`the upper end of the =springs,1iand means for securing the springs to the vehicle, comyprising a mounting device, .having a vertical face Lagainst which the springs are clamped,fand means for kdetachably securing said mounting device 'to the vehicle frame.

'2. A bumperfdevice vfor vehicles, 'comprising an impact bar, :a plurality of .fleaf springs, each 'formed :of @plural plies, 'and bent fto form a downward "curve, whencejthey curve'upwardly, terminating well above the doWnwa-rdbend 'in a point of attachment 'ffor the impact bar, means for securingvthe impact Abar tolsaid springs, :and meansyfor l:mounting the springs lonithe -vehicle iframe, .having .a vertical jface 3. 'A bumper device for vehicles,compris-V :ing an :impact bar, a plurality of leaf springs having vertical lower portions, rand thence icurved idownwardly, and then upwardly to a higher elevation, means for securing the V4'inipactfba-r to the .higher .portions of :the

springs, said VmeansY being separate pieces secured Ito the bar Aand the springs, .and

means for mounting-thesprings on vthe `veihielef comprising 'members securedV tothe ve- Vliicle aiidpresenting-.a vertical face against which vthe vertical lower -Lportions o-f the Y 4. A bumper device for vehicles,icompris 'ingan impact bar, `a plurality of leaf-springs secured to the 'vehicle iframe, and thence comprising clips engagingraroundthe .bar and havingk ends overlapping thetwoffaces of theY springs, kand means. for ksecuring said ends to the springs. 1

My ksprings -will bend at both ends of the S-like arrange ing an impact bar, a plurality #of leaf lai,

bending iny Iaedownward Vand then any upvwardvcurve to a higher'elevation, and means Vfor mounting the impact bar on the .springs 5. A bumper device for vehicles, comprisf ing an impact bar, a plurality ofleaf rsprings having a curved body to the upper ends of which the impact bar is secured, said springs terminating in fiat lower ends, and mounting devices having fiat faces, means for securing the ends against said faces, and means for mounting said devices on the frame ofV the vehicle, said means comprising a pivot support on the said frame for said devices, and means for clamping another portion of said devices to the vehicle frame.

6. A bumper device for vehicles, comprisf ing an impact bar, a plurality of leaf springs having 'a curved body, to the upper endsof which the impact baris secured, said springs terminating in flat lower ends, and mounting devices having fiat faces, means forsecuring, the ends against said faces, and means for mounting said devicesA on the frame of the vehicle, said means comprising a pivot supporton the same frame for said devices,- and means for clamping another portion of said devices to the velfor 'securing Vthe said hicle frame, said last named ineans being adjustable so as to permit of adjustment of the said devices about said pivot;

f 7. In combination, an impact bar, and

leaf springsfor supporting the same, of

means for Ysecuring the leaf springs to the supporting springs therefor, said springs'to be secured to a vehicle, and said springs having plural leaves, formed as a curve and `terminating with a single one of the leaves,

8. In combination, an impact bar, and

and meansv for mounting the bar on the springs comprising members to engage over the bar, and to engage with the single terininating leaf of said springs, and means springs.

, VILLIAM RAI-IE.

members to the y 

